Poison
by Uchiha-san
Summary: She wanted to proove that she loved him, no matter what. No matter if he ever loved her back at all. Everything is different now, and team 7 has to start all over again now that he's home and they struggle to remember the battle that brought him back.
1. Chapter 1: Last Autumn

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, they are property of Masashi Kishimoto... which sadly means I don't own Sasuke either... TT

She spread her fragile fingers across the cool door. Feeling it out, as if she could gain something personal from it. Finally she pushed the door open to let her self in the large estate, but a rough hand reached out to stop her after only one step.

"He's not here Sakura-chan, you know that..." his voice trailed off as she turned to look at him. He didn't release her wrist. This wasn't the first time he found the pink haired girl at this place.  
"Hai... I know," she started in reply, "demo, he left the door open... I always wonder why... I..." He gave he his usual half hearted grin. She tried weakly to smile in return but found she could barely curl the corners of her lips.

"Let's go home," he added, "You can stay with me tonight. I'll make you ramen and we can cuddle and watch T.V." His grin grew but she could tell his heart was breaking, for multiple reasons, and all he could do was try to make her happy. She could see it in his bright blue eyes no matter how hard he tried to hide it in the grin of his.  
3:00 a.m. and she was here again, infront of the Uchiha house, her blonde companion trying to get her home. He tried so hard to love her, he really did, she knew that. She even agreed to be with him, finally, but no matter how much either of them wanted it he couldn't make her forget. He couldn't make her forget the raven haired Uchiha with pain for eyes and ice for a heart. Her heart belonged to Sasuke. Her soul belonged to Sasuke, and everything she was, was his, rather he execpted it or not. Sakura belonged to Sasuke.

The cool fall breeze snapped her back to reality as it slithered across her legs and rustled he knee length, sleeveless, white, nightgown. Finally Naruto's hand slid down her wrist and he gently laced his fingers through hers. His hands were rough and caloused against her much more delicate ones but so warm and protective. She looked down at their hands noticing the contrast. His hands were much bigger, wider, and very tanned, while hers seemed so small and fragile. Then the warmth of his hand was gone and she looked up at him to see him removing his signature orange and black coat to reveal a clingy black t-shirt over a long sleeved fishnet shirt. She was then surrounded by the warmth of his jacket and he grabbed her hand again. She smiled weakly at him and he replied with his overly happy, fake, grin and a the slightly little, "Heh heh," he was known for. He wasn't great at being romantic and this made her giggle a little, which she was sure releaved him a little bit atleast. She leaned to her side and bumped him with her shoulder playfully, still smiling a bit. He was surprised to find her quickly loose her balance when he bumped her back. Sure he was taller than the pink haired girl but she was still really strong, and a great ninja, let's not forget her training. He lached his arm quickly around the kunoichi's thin shoulders, but not intime and he, in turn, found himself toppeled over ontop of her. He rolled off her quickly and sat up, blushing as he looked up at her. She slowly sat up, kind of brushing her self off.

"Daijoubu Sakura-chan?" He asked. This wasn't like her at all...

"Hai," she replied in a small voice, once again trying to smile. He stood up and gave his cloths a slight brush before extending a hand to her. Once on her feet a small breeze made her realize she lacked the awarmth of her boyfriends Halloween colored coat. As she bent to pick it up she soon found her self once again on her knees. She forgot to eat today. No food makes you a little woozily. Most of the time she was okay. She was herself. Then there were times, like today, when she hit a point where she had held to much in and lost herself. Her broken heart would consume her and she would walk, and if not stopped she would again find her way to the deserted Uchiha estate. Forgetting to both eat and sleep she could only wonder until she was at this place. Naruto was usually there waiting for her with his broken smile and shattered heart. But one time, she made it in. Naruto found her beside the Uchiha's bed with the only pictured int he roo held tight across her chest, deep in a tear induced sleep. Dust lay across the missing boy's dresser except for a small square where the picture had been, face down. He carried he jade eyed kunoichi home that night too.

"Sakura-chan..." He picked her up and covered her with his jacket in his arms. His fake smile gone and blue orbs filled with worry.

"I'm okay," she answered, "Just a little tired. Let's go home and get tham ramen you talked about okay?" building her walls back up again she lay her head against her shoulder and snaked her arms around his neck.  
Her smile looked more believable this time as she pushed the Uchiha to the back of her mind and focused on the blonde that cradled her in his arms. He could see right through her. The worry on his face never faded as he watched her settle against him.

She woke up as the door to his tiny apartment creeked open. She streched her arms and yawned as if she had been sleeping for a long time. The short nap had reset her brain and the name Uchiha was no longer reaching her ears with every whisper of the wind. He laid her gently on the bed and she sat in reply. He planted a slightly sloppy kiss on her forehead before she watched him make his way to the kitchen.  
He was so adorable (and yeah, kinda sexy) still in his black tee and fishnet. The wrinkeled orange pants hung loose and low around his hips and his messy gold hair had been combed by the Autumn wind. As she heard him messing around in the kitchen she slipped her arms through the pumpkin colored coat trying to rid her self of the chill creeping up her spine. Then she rumaged around his unmade bed until she found the 'ugly' hat she always picked on him for **still** wearing and pulled it onto her head, finally setteling under the covers.

A few minuts later she heard him re-enter the room. He pulled the covers of off her and gave a sort of giggle as he peered down to the sight of her. She was curled up with her white gown barely peeking out from under his coat, which was now zipped, huggin her thighs _just_ below her butt and nightcap hung crooked over one eye. She could tell when she peeked up at him that he thought she was too cute. He put the rather large bowl of ramen, along with two pair of chopsticks, on the nightstand before quickly diving into the bed with her. The first thing he did was yank his hat off her head and pull it over his own. Then when her arms went over his head to try and steal it back he lept at her, pinning her to the bed and diggin both his hands into her overly tickelish sides, fingers wiggling. She squeeled with laughter filled with insults and curses as she pushed desperately on his shoulders though the assault continued.

"You leave me no choice baka!" she gapsed between laughs and poked her fingers into his underarms to tickle him back. She was delighted to see the worry gone from his expression as he drowned in his own laughter.

"Yamatte Sakura-chan!" he cried out, grabbing her tiny wrists. Then, clutching both her hands in one of his he pinned her to the bed again. Her hands were above her head and she was all but helpless as bold but clumbsy lips claimed hers. She was shocked at first, no, it wasn't their first kiss, but she hadn't expected it at that particular point in time. So it took a moment for her to respond by closing her eyes and kissing him back. He released her hands and slid one of his own ever so slowly down her arm, across her ribs, teasingly across her side, and finally resting firmly on her hip. She circled her arms around his neck and she could  
feel his other hand tangeling in her hair with a tremble of nervousness. He rarely tried to kiss her, because he wasn't good with girls though he tried to act confident. It was cute, she decided.

He broke the kiss after a minute and looked down at her with a blush and a cheesy grin, "your ramen's getting cold" he said. Still blushing furiously he sat up on the edge of the bed and grabbed the bowl of warm ramen along with two pair of chopsticks. They ate quietly for a few minutes. Sakura was just enjoying the warmth of her companion and the steam of the ramen, but something was eating at Naruto's mind and it was quite obvious to her. Before she could ask however, he spoke, "Sakura-chan..." it was hard for him to say when he so feared her reply, "daisuki dayo Sakura-chan tebayo," he blurted out. She put her bowl and chopsticks back on his nightstand and turned to face him. She cupped his tan round face in her hands and replied, "You know, I know that, baka... You worry to much," and with that she gave a him a peck of a kiss and fell back on the bed. He wasn't finished.

"Ne Sakura-chan," he said, laying to face her, "if you really like me, I want to hear you say it," he finally stated. She knew it had been weighing on the boy's mind for a while and as much as she wanted to just hug him and tell him she loved him to pieces, something prevented her from doing so.

_'Sasuke...'_ the word whispered across her mind against her will.

"Sakura-chan, tell me! If you really like me, tell me you do!" He was determined.

"Of course I do **Naru-chan**! You **know** I do!" she smiled playfully as he blushed angry at the name. She then grabbed his hat of his head and yanked it back onto hers. Oh how she loved to tease the younger boy!

"You **KNOW** I hate it when you call me that! And give me back my hat! You hate it anyways!" he raged.

"That's because it's UGLY!" she giggeled as he lunged at her and she dodged. The wresteling/tickle match had began. The tumbled around for an half an hour, tearing the bed apart, before finally landing on the other side of the bed with a thump and draggin the covers with them. She looked down at him. He was flushed, chest heaving, and sweat rolling down his face.

"I win!" she exclaimed, plucking the hat off his head one final time before sitting up triumphantly. She was sitting stradled acorss his lower torso with the jacket half unzipped and falling off one shoulder. He was laid back completely and had some how gotten his shirts tugged off in the process of the struggle.

"Fine! Whatever..." Naruto pouted, turning his head to the side and blowing out his bottom lip, oh how he hated to loose. She gave him a victorious smirk. The smirk quickly faded when she saw him looking up at her out of the corner of his eye, he obviously couldn't control the the mischevious smile carving it's way across his face.

"hee hee hee..." She turned to her a second voice, identical to Naruto's, but before she had time rough hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her off him into a sitting position with her arms locked behind her. The Naruto she had stradled sat up and pulled the hat off her head messing up her short pink hair. He pulled it on and stuck out his tounge.

"NARUTOOO!" she wailed fling her legs about in a very un ninja like manor, "Let me go NOW!

"No way! I like my balls." he replied with his oh-so-cheesy-like-I'd-let-**you**-win smile. He sat up. Carefully, he grabbed each of her flailing feet as his bunshin kept her top half under control. Normally she could have easily over powered him, and she mentally thanked Tsunade-shishou, but under her conditions at the moment using that kind of strength at the time would severely wear her out and wasn't worth it. She gave in, closing her eyes and tensing, prepairing for the intense tickling that she knew was coming. But to her surprise, when he placed his hands on her sides, he didn't tickle her. He pulled her to him and the bunshin disappeared with a poof. He pushed his mouth against hers before she had time to even open her eyes, this kiss wasn't nearly as gentle as the one earlier, she thought for a minute he may have busted her lip.  
She was hit with a wave of guilt. She wasn't sure where the emotion came from or why she had it, but it caused a certian pain in her chest, like she ached for something, and she hurt for Naruto, but hse didn't know why.

'Sasuke-kun...'

This time the voice in her head was her own, though she still didn't know where it came from. It pained her. _'Why now?'_ she silently asked herself. Naruto's tounge whispered across her lips. She wasn't sure at first how to respond. She loved Naruto so much, he was like family to her, and there in lie the problem... He was like family, like a brother. She wanted so much to make him happy, so much to give him everything, and at the same sick time, she wanted him to make her forget about some one else. She felt like trash. He was never bold like this, but she knew, he wanted her so desperately to love him, like he loved her, or like she _still_ loved Sasuke. He wanted that kind of devotion from some one, and she also knew, part of him hated Sasuke for having some one like that and never realizing. She alowed her lips to part anyway, partially in her desperation to make him happy, and partially because for own selfish reasons, which were also sort of desperate. He was on his knees before her pulling at her, pulling her into his lap. The crush of his mouth against hers begged for love, his tounge desperately searched her out for it. And the guilt hit her twice as hard this time. _'Sasuke-kun is gone'_ she told herself, trying to push him into the back of her mind, _'he never loved you in the first place...'_ the last mental statement hurt far to much, and she longed to forget the cold Uchiha boy had ever existed, yet that was a lie to, she really just wished he were still there.

Naruto wrapped an arm all the way around her, as if maybe if he held her tight enough she would melt into him and no longer know the name Sasuke, but the other hand held her chin rather tightly, and possesively, he knew, oh he knew where her mind lay. His hands trembeled with his nerves, and maybe a touch of pain and fear, or maybe even anger. He pushed deeper with his tounge and let a his hand slip to the back of her neck and tangle all but gently in her hair while his other hand slipped under his coat to grip the fabric of her night gown tightly. He kept pushing, closer, then closer, until she feared that soon they would fall so she stuck and arm out behind her to support then as he leaned yet deeper into the kiss. He pulled at her, at her gown, at her hair, pressing her up against him as hard as he could, He wanted more and more and the harder he searched for the things he wanted and _needed_ to know, the less answers he came up with, and she knew he only hurt more. She knew, she knew, oh how she _knew_ he wanted her to love him **so** much. She knew that feeling all to well, like no matter what you gave it was never enough to gain this persons love, like if gave your life, they still wouldn't see you. She didn't want him to feel as invisible as she had. She knew what he wanted, and she wanted to give it to him... but she couldn't. He wanted to know he was loved, and he was, but not in this way, but that was not enough. He tired so ahrd to be her everything and she knew that completely and he'd give her anything and everything in a heart beat, all he wanted in return was her lousy excuse for a heart, yet, **_How can you give some one your heart, if it was never your's to begin with?_**

She did try. **Hard.** but she only hated herself more when she couldn't give him everything he wanted. This would end poorly, she knew. He did mean so much to her, oh **God** he did. Demo, she gave her heart away when she was twelve and no matter what, she couldn't get it back. He knew it. She knew it. Both tried to fight it.

She felt it, the change in his attitude as his desperation hit a peak. He ripped the jacket off showing no concern for being gentle and knocked the arm holding the up out from under her. She toppeled backwards and he pinned her under his weight. He sent a shaking hand sliding up a bare thigh, under the night gown, to firmly grip her hip holding her still. His other hand fisted the tiny strap that covered no flesh just above her right breast. His mouth crushed into hers again and the distinct taste of blood mixed slightly in her mouth and he all but forced his tounge into her mouth, obviously not minding the taste of blood. And he pushed harder yet against her, as if there was not a floor beneath her, yet still, he couldn't find what he was seeking. The tiny strap ripped but he didn't stop, he just pulled it down tearing the night gown in two and revealing a small white bra lined in pink lace and matching panties contrasted against creamy pale skin. She gasped against his mouth, but he didn't notice, she knitted her ayebrows tight, squeezing her eyes closed, wishing it all away. If he viciously raped and killed her now it would be more than she deserved. But she knew he wouldn't do that.

Emotionless charcoal eyes flickered across her mind and a word, not her own voice, a deep voice, much to deep to be a child's, a lifeless voice, smooth and intoxicating, "Sakura..." the voice called to her, and time froze as her heart broke again, the sound of that voice saying _her_ name was too much, like some sort of cruel device there remind her who she belonged too, "Arrigatou..." and the voice was gone, as quickly as he was.

Physical pain shot through her chest. She wanted to hate him, to forget him, but that was only a small part of her heart, more than anything she wanted to save him, and she cared not if he'd ever really love her. And he wouldn't let her go if she tried. Without knowing it, he was her every breath and he ran through her blood. The touch of some one else would never do. She partially hated herself, for never being strong enough. His face played across her mind, his voice whispered in her ear, over and over and over. His lips, his arrogent smile that was really more of a smirk, his lips, the tone of his skin... his _eyes_...

"Yamatte!" she gasped as Naruto's teeth grazed against the soft skin of her throat, "G-gomen nasai Naruto.. gomen..." her voice broke as the tears carved paths down her face and he pulled away from her. He stared at her for a moment, the pain on his face was obvious. He threw his arms around her neck and buried his face in the junction of her neck and shoulder and hot tears burned down her back as he sobbed. He still loved her. She pulled the blanket over them as his sobs faded to light snoring and her own subsided a bit. She cradled him there until she herself found sleep around 6:30 A.M.

The last thing she saw before she drifted off was haunted obsidian eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: Cold

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters, they are property of Masashi Kishimoto... which sadly means I don't own Sasuke either... TT

_His vision blurred slightly, but he could walk. All the medic nin had said that she fought for her life for a week, and even now, two weeks later, she refused to wake. He silently blamed himself as he found her room, a single dark flower clutched in his hand. He saw her laying there lifelessly as he placed the near black rose in a vase beside her bed. He looked down at her and hated himself for what he saw. He brushed a bitter sweet kiss over her forehead after burshing cherry blossom colored hair aways from her face. She was untouchable to him. And he briefly wondered, as he stared down at her, if he'd ever be able to do what was asked of him. His friend's words still echoed in his mind._

_White light...  
_Sakura thought for a moment she was dead as the half memory half dream of her previous Autumn with Naruto faded. The light burned her eyes so, she sat up with her face in her hands trying to remember where she was and why. Images of blood and war filled her mind hazily. She couldn't remember. The only thing she could recall was that there had been a battle and _he_ had been there.

_'Oh god...'_ she sat up ignoring the burning hospital lights in her eyes, "Sasuke!" she said aloud. She yanked the various tubes and needles from her body and got ready to bolt for the door, but she hit her knees upon resting her hand on the nob. She just got back up, throwing the acheing in her body to the back of her mind. Her run was pathetic and wobbly, but she wasn't walking. She bursted in to each door lining either side of the hallway, startling medics and patients alike until she finally reached the largest room at the end of the hallways. She pressed her bandaged fingers against it for a moments hesitation then stepped in.

Naruto woke when she jerked upright, jarring her bed which he had been resting his head on. He pulled his face from his little puddle of drool just intime to see her bolt for the door.he started to call after her but stopped himself. She hadn't even know he was there. She wouldn't hear him is he **did** call out to her, and chances were, she didn't even know he existed at that point in time.

Maybe he didn't...

When the Uchiha heir woke he was home again. Well, if he even considered Konoha home. Years had passed but nothing much had changed. When he sat up he alerting the nurse (who was probably a gaurd as well) the he was concious and before long the Hokage was there with questions. The only thing he even responded to was that he wouldn't leave, he could be trusted, and he wanted to be left alone.He could tell that at first she had wanted to deny him that but the Godaime's honey brown eyes softened and the blonde motioned the few medic nin with her to the door. He could tell for sure, her trust was Naruto's influence. He felt sick...

A few weeks passed, he still was rarely allowed to leave his room. He hadn't barely seen his team mates at all, not that he'd know how to face them. He had spent his time trying to figure out what had happened, how everything had gone down, but something blocked his mind. The battle was hazy still and all he could remember came to him in nightmares of blood and death. He thought briefly of his team mates as he stared out of his window that over looked Konoha. He layed back down still facing the window, trying to remember, trying to figure out what he had and what he didn't but his thoughts were disrupted by the click of the door. He didn't have to look to know it was _her_. He kept his back to the door, he didn't want to face her, not yet, and he hoped that she'd think him to be asleep.

Her breath caught as she stepped in adn the air in the room washed over her face drowning her in the heavy scent of him. _Positively intoxicating..._  
She hesitated again, she couldn't run to him like she used to, she was no little girl and he was certianly no twelve year old boy. Then again, he never really had been. She fought her urge to run to him and call out his name crying, and instead forced herself onward.

Sakura nearly lost her breath again as the sight of his bandaged but otherwise bare back came into view. She took in the sight of him as she oh so slowly made her way to his bed side. she was drinking him up, embedding the image in her mind. The way his hair held it's spikey but slightly more untaimed pose. The way the bandages clung tightly to his pale skin, showing a few hints of blood here and there, and oh, the smell, she felt like she could breath no other air, as it was _thick_ and suffocating, spicy with the smell of sweat and the ever so slight hint of vanilla. All of it, everything, it all made her remember why she could _never_ forget him or let him go. _**He was addictive..**_

Sakura neared the edge of his bed. Close enough now that any decent medic nin would know he wasn't asleep. She hesitently reached her hand out and the closer she drew, the nearer time came to stopping. Inch by tiny inch her fingers drew closer to the flesh of his shoulder. She paused, then pressed her slender fingers against his skin. A shock ran through her, almost as if he had been charged with electricity. His skin was cool to the touch but when she wrapped her hand completely around his shoulder she could feel the warmth of the muscle beneath.

_"Sasuke..."_ she breathed as chills overcame her body, he was real, this wasn't a dream, she could _feel_ him. Silence enveloped the room except for the ruch of blood in her ears and her heart beat. She gripped his shoulder tightly and pulled him slightly as if to let him know she knew he was awake. He replied with a chest heaving sigh and sat up, not looking at her, not lifting his head. He just his hair fall in his eyes and cover his face.

He noted the way she dropped the -kun from his name. He wondered for a moment if she perhaps thought he no longer deserved the title any more. Maybe she wouldn't always loved him like she swore and had since found some one else. But then again what did he care. He knew, he knew he'd always be alone. 'Of course,' he thought, smirking painfully at himself. She had jerked her hand away when he sat up. Was she afraid? So many questions ran through his mind, but as usual, he remaind silent. He could see her face out of the corner of his eye, through the black bangs hanging in his face, she was fighting tears, he could tell. But why? Was she trying to be strong? So unlike her. The face, he decided, didn't suit her. She usually wore her heart on her sleeve. _But that face..._ It said that she no longer wanted to bear her heart to him. Who was she now? And what was he to her? He wondered, so many things. He wanted to break down that wall. The one she had built so carefully, just to keep him out. He wondered if he could. He wanted to. Just because he wanted to know if it was possible.

_"Sakura..."_ he whispered and then turned to face the young girl. He kept his eyes blank and whatever emotion he felt hidden well behind his black eyes. But her eyes screamed with life and she carefully tucked her bottom lip beneath her top teeth when assaulted by those heartless eyes. He knew, he could see it, her heart was breaking with her walls, her pathetic walls. Just one glance and all she built was gone, one pathetic glance and he could see the tears start to pour down her face, she was crumbling right before him and all he had to do was look at her. But part of him taunted him. Maybe he was just jealous because he could no longer cry. _Don't be stupid,_ he told himself.

He thoughts were shattered when he found himself being crushed in her embrace. She was warm, so warm. Her warmth contrasted harshly against the cold of him and chills ran over him. The smell of her hair filled his lungs the smell of cherry blossoms, with a hint of something sweeter, like cream, or honey.

"Sasuke-kun," she choked out and the word and her tears ran down his back like fire against his cool skin. But some how the burn of his tears brought him so much comfort. It was sick he knew. He knew he would do this to her and did so intentionally, just to see her cry, because he knew the tears were for him. He'd never out right claim her, no never. He never had, but she still belonged to him, and that thought was selfishly comforting. He turned from her slightly, refusing to hold her as well. And actually, now that he had what he wanted, he kind of just wanted her to leave. Now that he knew he could make her cry, her tears were bothersome. He was sick for that. He knew it. However, he couldn't help it. Caring about some one meant getting close to them, which in turn, meant you could loose them. He had lost enough.

He tried to lay back, hoping to pry her arms off of him, but she was still weak and her knees buckled underneath. He grabbed her arms, not gently, not harshly. Just to support her. She was crying carelessly as if if she let go now he's simply die, or dissappear. She struggled to pull him closer, struggled to stand, to breath. And he found himself holding her still intstead of pushing her off like he intended. She slipped again. Had she lost her mind? She was a mess. He could feel her struggle for her footing. He sat up again moving to the edge of the bed and pulling her pathetic body up to sit next to him. She still wouldn't let go. He blamed himself. If he wasn't so worthlessly selfish she may have just said something mildly annoying and been on her way. But now he was stuck with the mess she had become, the mess he made of her. And he just sat there as she bawled her eyes out on his shoulder. Just sat there like he always did. He refused to conole her or to give her any kind of comfort. Oh how he hated it when she cried. Maybe mostly because he wasn't sure how to react, so he didn't. But also he hated it because he disliked the way it made him feel. It almost made him feel _good_. It was horrible he knew. Bu something about the tears she cried, knowing she cried them for no one else brought him some sort of twisted peace.

"Shhhhh Sakura." he said, not soothingly, not harshly. He just said it, lowly in her ear. He didn't care how she took it, because it worked, she silenced a bit and her cries became soft sobs. And she sobed like that forever until finaly She grew silent. "Sakura...?" he asked after a maybe ten minutes of silence as he nudge the shoulder she was resting on. Her arms fell loose around him and he grabbed her to keep her from falling. 'She must still be worn out,' he thought to himself putting his arm under her head for support as he layed her down on his bed pulling the covers over her. He headed towards the door to tell a medic but was met by a pair of grim blue eyes.

"We need to talk Sasuke," Naruto said turning away.


	3. Chapter 3: Don't Wanna Hurt Alone

She blinked as the room came into focus. Flowers, candy, teddy bears, and all kinds of other gifts filled the room. Was all this for her? She never got _this_ much attention. Then it hit her. She must still be in Sasuke's room. Word must have finally gotten out that he had, indeed, been rescued.

The buzzing in her ears turned into the incoherent chattering of the species known as fangirls. She sat up peering around the room. No one even seemed to notice she was there. There was a large group of said species crowded in one corner of the room, more than likely trying there best to impress a non responsive Sasuke.

There was all this attention for the one they had called 'traitor' while he was away and yet none for the people who risked there lives to bring him back. She didn't care though. It wasn't _their_ attention she wanted. _'Enough of this bullshit,_' she crawled out of Sasuke's bed, energized by the nap and her annoyance. She pushed her way through the fangirls to reach the object of her affection and the ringleader of the others.

Sasuke sat resting is forehead firm against the palm of his hand, looking very much like he wished to disappear and little to Sakura's surprise a certian little pig known as Yamanaka Ino was leaned over the back of his chair with her arms locked in a death grip around his neck, deep in conversation with the other girls.

Sakura only rested her hands on her hips and stared at the blonde. She caught Sasuke's eyes first, but he did little more than shift his attention towards her. The slight motion however was enough to alert Ino.

"Sakura-chan!" she squealed and threw her arms around the other kunoichi, "Where's your gift for Sasuke-kun?" she asked, trying to look genuinely puzzeled.

"Thanks..." Sakura responded sarcasticly with a glare. She pulled Ino's arms away from her and the blonde gave her a baffled look.

"N-nani?" She replied cluelessly. Sakura was annoyed by this. Ino was the one she had called a friend. And their friendship had actually mended in the three years Sasuke was gone and now one glimpse at him and she was back to being a bitch. What had Ino _ever_ given for Sasuke? Besides of course her unwanted attention. Sakura couldn't stand the girl sometimes. "You failed to remember," she began, "while you were planting flowers, I was training. **_HARD._** And while you were picking and arranging them nicely in preperation for his return, **I** was at his side, throwing **my** life on the line to make sure he even got here. And while you and these other _brainless_ fools were filling his room with pathetic gifts he only throws away, I was in a comma because I chose his life over my own!" she spat, hoping atleast half of which were true for the battle she couldn't really remember.

"Then it should really say something shouldn't it Sakura," Ino sneered, "that you give him all this, and _still_ he doesn't love you..." She barely got the sentence out of her mouth when she felt the flesh of her bottom lip burst and the room spin with the taste of blood as Sakura's open hand came in painful contact with her face. Ino gasped. Shewiped the trickling blood away but she refused to loose her cool. The other's fell silent and Ino noticed that Sasuke now leaned forward, his two hands folded together with his chin resting on them, his attention on Sakura, she just couldn't let that happen, "Oh, you're a _real_ lady forehead girl! Trying to show off infront of Sasuke-kun like that. What's the matter? Jealous?"

"No," Sakura responded cooly, "Sasuke-kun knows I'm not lady," she gave a slight laugh and smirked, "I'm just noticing the real difference between me and you." Ino responded by cocking an eyebrow questioningly. "It doesn't matter to me if he loves me or not, because I love him, which is more than you can say. You're just another brainless fangirl." Sakura spat the words like venom. God only knew, she really was trying not to rip her "friend's" throat out.

"That's enough," Sasuke said standing up before Ino could speak again. He thought he heard the blonde studder his name, but he cared not, and he could tell by the look on Sakura's bright red face she had completely forgotten he was there. The words she spoke made him a touch uncomfortable, but to see her like that, standing up for herself, not taking any shit, it was worth it. And all that confidence... where had it come from? She had really changed. It interested him, and maybe, just maybe... he was bit proud. He noticed Naruto had entered a moment later followed by Hinata and Neji, the blue eyed boy's face was red and his eyes puffy, only Sasuke knew why. His expression had been as grim as before and Sasuke deeply dreaded what was to come, knowing Naruto wouldn't be able to say it and that he himself would have too. "My teammates and I need to discuss some things, so all of you get out of here," he said as though he would be sick if he were forced to look at them any longer. They all sighed but eventually retreated with their heads held low, Ino brought up the rear of the group and shot Sakura a dirty look before leaving. Sakura raised her fist to retaliate but Sasuke grabbed her arm and just shook his head, what he had to say was more important now than old rivalries. Ino sneered.

Naruto stepped in after seeing the two Hyuuga off and looked to Sasuke as his eyes began to water again. Sakura looked questioningly to Sasuke.

"What's going on?" she asked looking concerned.

"Sakura.." the Uchiha boy began, then stopped as Naruto came behind her and grabbed one of her hands. He was crying again. Sasuke looked to him, begging for help but Naruto only shook his head and covered his face with his other hand. Sakura looked back and forth at the two boys with a confusingly troubled face. She obvioulsy wanted a explanation.

"What..? What's going on?" she sounded troubled and urgent now.

Sasuke stepped forward grabbing Sakura's other hand, feeling it was only appropriate and he leaned forward brushing the pink hair from her ears and whispered the words in her ears, as if if he said them out loud something horrible would happen. She stepped back, bumping into Naruto, gaping at Sasuke and she tore her hand from Sasuke's grip and covered her mouth. She was trembling and she shook her head as though she believed it weren't true. Sasuke only looked away. He couldn't say a word and a large knot grew in his throat. How had this happened? He felt sick, so sick. He looked back to her and she gasped loudly, choking on her own breath and her knees buckled. He reached out and grabbed her arms and let her slide gently to the floor with him and Naruto followed. This time however Sasuke locked his arms around her neck as she bawled into his chest, choking and her wild gasps for air fell in sync with Naruto's as he wrapped his arms around her waist, crying into her back. Sasuke just held her tighter. After all. This was his fault too. This was something they all had to face together, as team 7. And for this moment, Sasuke didn't regret coming home. Yeah... _home_... With them, the people he cared for. He didn't remember the battle, so he didn't know how it had happened, he knew Orochimaru had been there, he had been confirmed dead, but... There was one thing Sasuke did remember, Itachi. He had been there too. Sasuke couldn't remember... Had he killed him? He felt his brother to still be alive. He cringed.

Sakura finally grabbed at him, nearly ripping his shirt off as she clutched it tightly in her fist. She sounded as if she were dying, like she couldn't breath and Naruto sobbed more quietly into her back, one of his hands had found it's way to Sasuke's arm while the other remained tightly around Sakura's waist. Sasuke didn't push them away. He held Sakura tighter as she pitifully screamed, not to anyone, just to herlself, questions, like _how?_ and _why?_ Questions they all wanted to know. Her nails dug into his back as she only suck lower, falling to his lap, begging to know why, crying his name as if he had the answers. He held onto herarm still tightly and just ran his hand over her hair over and over soothingly, it was all he knew to do. Naruto had come to sit beside him and rest his head on his shoulder and sobb, but he joined in with the stroking of Sakura's hair as well. He hated to see them like this, hurt so deeply, as if the life could leave there bodies at any moment, but Sasuke didn't shed a tear. He just trying pathetically to comfort them. He owed it to them. This was all his pathetic fault. He'd never know why they loved him, he only brought them pain. And himself as well. He hurt too. Alot. Perhaps as much as them. He was just alot less willing to show it. He finally decided to be selfish, if he was going to hurt like this, he'd rather hurt with them.


	4. Chapter 4: Alive

Disclamer: Naruto + friends not mine.

She was already in her black dress when the knock came at her door. She was ready, well ready to go, not ready for it to be the truth. She opened the door and Sasuke stood there all in black and Naruto behind him dressed very similiar. She liked the blonde boy better in his usual bright cloths, Sasuke however seemed to look much better in black.

Sasuke looked the same as always, face stoic, no emotions to be shown, yet some how, to her, he looked sad, maybe because she knew him well enough to see through black eyes. Naruto, however, wore his heart on his sleeve as usual and you could still see the red puffiness in his eyes, she hurt for him.

She nodded to the boys who were waiting and stepped outside. No, she wasn't ready, but they headed to the place they knew so well, ready to carve his name into the stone. She hadn't known... She could have saved him, but she hadn't known. She was focused on the younger boys, her comrades. The fight was still hazy but in her mind her sensei could do anything, he was invinsible, she never knew, and she blamed herself. She could see in her team mates eyes they blamed themselves as well. But SHE could have saved him, if anyone could, it would have been her, the medic nin. And now... now? Now Kakashi-sensei was gone. Tears bit at her eyes... she couldn't stand the thought, he had been more of a father to her than her actual father. His place could never be taken in her heart and obviously team 7 would never be the same, though only a 3 man team, he had taught them every thing, including how to love and work with eachother. She looked to the black haired boy, she knew out of everyone that this HAD to mean the most to Sasuke... rather he'd show it or not, it did. Sasuke didn't have a father, and never had had one that understood him. Now, again, he's lost the one person who really did understand him well. She hurt for him.

Neither boys knew, as she trailed behind, like always, that she would be visiting two graves today. Tsunade had entered the room that day after the boys had left and had explained that Sakura's father had become very ill and was unwilling to let anyone know until he was beyond help, he had been waiting on his daughter to come home. He died the day Sakura had made it back to the hospital with a smile on his face. Sakura cried in Tsunade's arms... Why? Why so much loss? So much pain? She really wanted to dissapear, but then she was reminded of all that she did have. She had her friends, and Tsunade, and her mother still, though she had never been close to her. Ino came in, she had been told, she apologized about earlier, she apologized about everything.  
She could be jealous, vain, and selfish, but she was a good person, and still one of Sakura's best friends. Hinata came in, Sakura would have to say that Hinata was her best friend, though they never had a lot in common Hinata could get along with anyone and she was good at listening. Sakura begged both girls not to tell anyone yet, especially the boys, and they complied reluctantly.

She was brought back to reality when Sasuke stopped infront of her. There were more people there than they thought. She glanced around, really everyone she knew was there and even some she didn't know. Suddenly she didn't feel like crying anymore. She was almost happy. Kakashi was so dearly loved. So many people he had effected. And everyone came to show they cared. He had practically raised them and they were all grown up now, at a very young age, but shinobi HAD to grow up fast, and team 7 did. Because of him, he had given them all he had and in a world where he had once believed he would always be alone he found he had his "kids" and in the end he gave his life so that they could continue to grow and learn and love and oneday love some one else so  
much that they would give there life for them and in the end she had given team 7 one thing that could never be replaced, Sasuke. Because of Kakashi, they had him back.

She thought more about her sensei, thought about how much she loved him, as a teacher, as a father, as a friend. He meant so much to all of them. He was a touch lazy and FOREVER late to everything, they always said he'd be late to his own funeral. She laughed a bit at this, his body wasn't there yet. He never showed much of his true emotions, but when he cared he made it obvious, he had put his ass on the line MULTIPLE times to ensure they would grow up. He was a pervert, a bit careless at times, but he awlays made them laugh, he taught them so much and meant so much to them. And here she was, all grown up inside, was he proud of her? She prayed he was, she knew he was proud of the boys. She half expected him to show up 30 minutes later and wonder where everyone had gone. His kids always waited on him. They always would. She hated to see him go, wish she had known, could have said goodbye, could have said thank you, but she knew, that he knew. His life as a shinobi was over. But there paths would cross again, she knew that their four souls would be forever entertwined. He would always be a part of their lives and for eternity his lessons and teaching would be remembered.

His body arrived shortly and the ceremony began. The whole thing was a blurr and she was lost in her thoughts the entire time. Only a few soft gasps and whispers caught her attention and it seemed Sasuke was going to speak. For once in her life, she wasn't hanging on his everyword. She could hear his voice, smooth and calm. He didn't shed a tear or show the slightest bit of emotion, he was screaming inside. She then realized that this was Sasuke's first appearence back in Konoha, outside the hospital that is. She stared at him but the words he spoke she couldn't hear. She couldn't concentrate. She just wanted it to all be over. She wanted to visit her father's grave... since she had missed the burial while in her coma then just go home and sleep. Sleep until the next mission where she could concentrate on that, and only that. It would all be over soon... she zoned out.

She trailed her fingers over the engraved letters on the cold stone, carefully tracing each word. Her vision was blurry from tears but there was no sense in trying to read it anyways, she knew it was her father's grave. She was alone. Her mother hadn't even come to see her at the hospital. Though she had never been particularly close to her, her mother had atleast always been loving, she was a bit more of a Daddy's girl though, those days were over. Her silent sobs contiuned until she realized she wasn't alone, she looked up to see Hinata standing silently beside her.

"Ino-chan wanted to come, b-but she said she doesn't know how to handle things like this very well. That is, well I mean, I guess I really don't either, I just... I didn't want you to be alone." Hinata stuttered out. Sakura gave her best friend a smile that lied. One that said she was to strong to cry, despite the tears pouring down her face and replied, "I'll be fine Hinata-chan, really. I just need a little time to think and then I'm going home." Hinata could tell that Sakura wanted to be left alone. There was only one person in this world could make her happy at the moment and that person wouldn't show he cared even if he did. Hinata knew that, she was glad Sasuke was home, because she knew it would make Sakura happy, but at the same time it created a whole new set of problems. That was pointless to think about at the moment however. Sasuke wasn't going to comfort Sakura and Sakura didn't even want him to know and she didn't want Hinata to comfort her. Hinata sighed and turned away, it hurt her to even look at the girl sometimes. She sighed again and set out on her way home, it was going to be hard to keep this from Naruto.

Sakura watched as her friend left silently. She felt like a burden at the moment, like a big burden to everyone she was around, she felt useless, but then again, she always had been... all she could think to do was just go home and see her mother and try to comfort her. She stood silently and turned away from the grave, making her way slowly back home.

She could hear her mother sobbing from inside before she even opened the door. Reluctantly she pushed the door open and stepped in, making her way to the kitchen where her mother sat, head on the kitchen table sobbing. The woman never even looked up at her. Sakura stepped closer, "Oka-san?" she asked, reaching out to touch the woman. Her mother batted her hand a way a tad violently. She continued to sob for a minute before replying, "This... is all your fault..." she choked.

"wha.. what do you mean..?" Sakura asked feeling confused and betrayed.

"He ws waiting.. for _you_... all he cared about is _you_... and what do you do? You run off... to go find that _damned _Uchiha who was never anything more than trouble anyways. Tell me! If he ran off in the first place, do we really need him here?" Her voice grew louder as she turned to face her daughter, eyes filled with so much anger... Sakura could say nothing. Her mother had _never_ treated her this way before... and what now? She was being blamed for her father's death? And all because she wanted to save the person she loved.

"Just leave..." her mother said turning away again, voice being drowned in sobs again.

"Oka-san..?" Sakura repeated hesitantly, tears burning at the back of her eyes again. '_What the hell?'_

"You heard me... I don't want you here... just get out, " she turned towards Sakura again, "GO! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE!" She stood pushing her violently towards the door... Sakura did little to sturggle and next thing she knew she was on her door step in the snow. She could do nothing... just lay there in the snow... the first snow of the year. Her lip was bleeding, she was cold, and everything seemed to go all wrong all at once. She felt so lost. She was supposed to be happy. Sasuke was home. And he wasn't even trying to run away or anything. And most likely there would be no hearing or nothing since Tsunade-sama understood the circumstances. This should be a happy time... but so much bad... so much... pain...

She had no idea how long she had slept and didn't care... it was pitch black out side except for the nice new blanket of snow, covering not only the ground but her as well. She sat up half dazed and brushed some of the snow from her clothing. She didn't think of where she had to go if anywhere at all. She just stood and started wandering, because she does that. When she gets lost in herself she wanders. She kept wandering, for God only knows how long, until she was infront of the door again, the same door she always found despite that she set off with no destination. She ran her fingers over it. It was cool as always and when her fingers reached the knob she yet again found it unlocked. She pushed it open and braced herself for the cool, stale, breeze that usually flowed from inside the house. But it never came. Instead a bit of _warm_ air rushed over her and shocked her a bit. Then a hand reached out and stopped her from behind like always. When she turned to meet Naruto's gaze she found nothing but an emtpy charcoal stare.


	5. Chapter 5: Curiosity Killed the Cat

Disclaimer: Naruto and them.. don't own em. /

"What are you doing here?" the low emotionless voice shocked her back into reality.

"S-Sasuke..." her voice trailed off and she suddenly remembered where and _when_ she was. She pushed quickly past him and set off towards no where again muttering her extreme apology. He only gripped her wrist tighter preventing her from leaving.

"What are you doing here?" he repeated jerking her just slightly so that she was facing him. She just stared for a moment in reply. She didn't know how to explain herself and then, before she could stop herself the truth began to come pouring from her lips. It wasn't everything, not all the details. Just how she had come home only to be blamed for something that couldn't _possibly_ be her fault and how she got kicked out, yet still blamed herself for what happened and that she simply started wandering about with no real destination. She still managed to keep herself from telling him about her father's death, she knew he wouldn't care to ask. And she was right, for he asked no questions.

"Come on," was all he said as he walked passed her and headed into his house releasing her. She just stood there for a moment unsure of what to do. Was he inviting her in? So she just waited for a moment until he was in and she noticed he left the door open. But she couldn't... the house wasn't empty anymore and it could no longer bring her comfort nor pain. She stepped to the door way and just before she shut the door his hand reached out and latched onto her wrist again and simply pulled her inside. It was still a touch cold, and stale inside, but much warmer than the outside. It would never look like anyone lived there. He walked into the kitchen and set down the few bags he had been carrying, wich was most likely filled with a few groceries. Then he returned to her.

"Follow me," he said blankly and expressionless. He was still so beautiful, the snow hung in his hair and on his cloths. His nose and cheeks were red from the cold and he had a red scarf wrapped around his neck. 'He never wears red...' she thought to herself puzzeled and then immediately recognized the scarf. She had made it for him one year for Christmas... 'So he didn't throw it away..'

"S-Sasuke-kun.. I can't" she protested. He ignored her and just kept walking until they were upstairs. He pushed open one of a few doors down the hallway and stepped in. It was his old bedroom. She followed him in and held her breath a touch when he went to his dresser and found the picture on the floor.

Sasuke entered the old room and the smell of it brought back memories, both good and bad. The scent was stale now though, and lifeless. All the life left in that room was merely memory. The boy forgot for a moment that he had a comanion as he slowly walked through the room taking it all in again. Then he reached his dresser. He remembered clearly leaving the picture face down, right there, but it was gone. His eyes darted around for a minute until the gleam of moonlight coming from the big double doors leading to his balcony hit glass and caught his eye. It was on the floor, and broken. He kneeled for a minute infront of the broken glass and picked up the picture. He didn't want to look at it, but he did, and it hurt. All the memories of everything he had and things he could have had. And all for what? Itachi was still probably alive. He sighed and pushed his sorrow deeper down, not realizing that was his problem to begin with, and stood putting the picture back on his dresser.

"Watch out for broken glass," he said somewhat quietly and moved to one of his drawers pulling it open. "These shouldn't fall off of you. They're my old cloths from before. I can't promise they don't smell funny but they are clean, " he said pulling out a black, collarless, t-shirt and a pair of white shorts and handed them to her. He faced the door again and pointed to another door along the same wall, "That's my bathroom, everything should work fine and there should atleast be soap in there. Just get cleaned up and changed and find me when you're done. I'll probably be down stairs." he said leaving the clueless girl where she stood. She always had that look around him, _always_. Like she never knew how to react or what to say next. She would just stand there and stare. It irked him. Still... he wondered, who was she now? Her eyes no longer held that hopefully naive gleam they once had. All the innocence in the world was still there but something else covered that innocence, something darker, something he knew all to well... Pain. Her eyes seemed even more different then they had 3 days ago at the hospital. Sasuke sighed. He had been told that Kakashi was doing fine, then next thing he heared he had passed away the same day Sakura awoke.

He shivered suddenly at the coldness of the room and headed downstairs and decided he should stop thinking, though he continued to unwillingly wonder about his old team mates. He changed into the cloths he had kept from the hospital in the downstairs bathroom, which was nearly the same thing he had handed her to wear. He then headed to the living room just leaving his cloths in the bathroom floor.

The water was warm as it coursed over her body. It felt good. She couldn't help but smile a bit as she bathed thinking things like, _'This is Sasuke-kun's bathroom...'_ which then lead to thoughts like, _'He was naked in here once!'_ which then made her squeel with laughter. Her problems could be washed away for the moment. She could be happy for a while, because she was with him. That fact alone was enough to enable her to momentarily forget her problems. His problems were bigger for one, and for another thing, she still loved him, just being in his presence made her happy. The thought the he had _requested_ she be there made her even more happy. She finished bathing quickly and stepped out and dried herself then quickly picked up the cloths he had given her. She held them to her nose briefly, they still smelled like him. She exhaled and stretched the shirt over her head. It was abit small. Even though she realized it had been atleast three years, she still couldn't picture Sasuke being this small. She smiled as she tugged the shorts up to her hips. They were a bit tight in the waist but all in all she could wear them fine. She made her way down stairs.

She found him sprawled out on the sofa, okay, not _sprawled_, because Sasuke does not _sprawl_, but he was stretched long ways over the sofa, one leg hanging off a touch and his arms were folded behind his head. He would probably never really know how beautiful she thought he was no matter how much she told him. She giggeled noticing their nearly matching out fits. She didn't have the heart to wake him. She shivered again and decided finding blankets would be a good idea. No luck. So she went up stairs and tugged the comforter off his bed before going back down stairs.

He shifted slightly in his sleep, turning his face away from the back of the sofa and she notice a bit of..._drool?_ sliding down the corner of his mouth along with a slight snore. She giggeled again. It was when he was sleeping she always remembered he's still human. She tucked the blanket around him, half wanting to curl up in a ball beside him, but Sasuke could be very upset about this. She sat a moment longer infront of him, admiring him. He was the single most beautiful yet broken creature she had ever seen. She had always wished with her whole heart that she could help him in a way or fix him just a bit. But she couldn't.

She reached up and brushed black strands from his face, but they just fell back in place, and for some reason, she couldn't pull her hand from his face. So she just ran the tips of her fingers from his brow to his chin, taking in all his features as she went, noticing everytiny detail, including a **very** small freckle just below his right nostril. Sakura pulled the blanket up a little and wiped the drool away and brushed her fingers ever so lightly across his bottom lip and a chill ran through her. She wished she could taste him just once, but he'd never allow it. But her most certianly innocent curiosity got the best of her as she gazed longer, and she never thought on it for a second, she just leaned forward, slower than the rising of the sun. Closer. Then closer. Until his breath was running past her face and down her neck and she was breathing it in, memorizing the smell of it, wondering of the taste. Finally, after a century of barely moving at all the delicate skin on her lips brushed softly over his some what chapped lips and her eyes closed on contact as the electricity of him ran through her body sending chills across her skin and melting her insides. She did not linger, for when she began to pull away he flinched an turned away. His face twisted a touch. She waited, hesitantly, afriad the chaste kiss had woken him. He sat up a bit and rubbed his eyes then turned, resting his confused gaze on her.


	6. Chapter 6: Oyasumi

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, they all belong to Kishimoto-san... Sasuke too... unfortunately...

He stared blankly at her for a moment and he wasn't sure what was going on. He had fallen asleep right? Okay, he got that. Now why the Hell was Sakura in his house. Oh yeah... he remembered now. She must have FINALLY gotten out of the shower. He had waited on her an hour atleast before he had fallen asleep. Okay, now why was she so close to him, and why was the flushed like that, and for another thing... why could he _taste_ her? She was leaning nearly over him and he was now covered in a blanket. Her hair was still soaked and her skin still damp and she just stared wide eyed at him, looking very startled.

"What?" he asked, getting more annoyed by the second at that stupid look on her face. He sat up and as close as she was she backed up quickly and stumbled and fell back into a sitting position still slightly shocked. He grumbeled somthing under his breath then looked back down at her. He decided that what ever had happend he was best off to avoid the situation all together. He ruffeled the back of his spikey black hair and yawned. He could feel her eyes on him. He didn't care.

"You should probably sleep down here," he said, "It's warmer than upstairs. You can keep this blanket, there are more upstairs I can use. I'll probably be gone by the time you get up in the morning so you can stay until you have another place to go. I rarely lock the door so you can pretty much come and go as you please, just don't bother me." he thought for a moment, no that was it. He hoped she didn't take that as an open invitation to stay just because she felt like it, but he wouldn't very well kick her out on the street. His first night in his 'home' and already there are problems. But he wouldn't leave her alone, the way he had been growing up. He didn't wish for any one to go through. But at the same time he was angry that she had some one and he had been alone. It was childish. He knew. Actually he was very aware of what a horrible person he was but _he_ couldn't change that. He would just continue hating himself, wondering all the while why exactly his 'friends' love him like they do. It didn't matter to him any more. If they loved a terrible person that was their buisiness, he wasn't alone anymore.

She watched as he turned and headed to his bedroom, he must not have felt the kiss. Her face colored just thinking about it.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun," she stammered in an attempt to stop him. He froze in place and turned his head to listen but didn't face her.

"hn?"

"I just... wanted to say thank you.. and... well, goodnight," she smiled up at him despite the fact he probably couldn't see her.

"Yeah... night." he replied coldly and she just kept smiling.

She cralwed up on the sofa where he had rested. It was still warm and she could still smell him on it, that spicy smell that had a hint of vanilla and sweat. It was unique to him and she _loved_ the smell of it. She covered herself and drowned in his comforter hoping to sleep. She wished to forget the days events and just be happy with where she was at and with who. It made her feel like tomorrow was a new day, a new life, and she could start over with just her and her friends. She could stay with Hinata until she had an apartment of her own. Or maybe her, Sasuke, and Naruto could all get one big apartment together. She laughed out loud at the idea. They'd kill each other and she knew it. She laughed again picturing all the possibilities and all the fight the two boys would have. She knew Sasuke would never agree to it, but the thought was nice and it allowed her to find sleep shortly.

She was warm... but some one was calling out... she didn't want to get up, but the voice was familiar. It didn't call for her by name, but she felt that the voice needed her... it was.. was it? Yes, it was Sasuke. He was calling out. He was screaming.

Another shout shattered her thoughts, bringing her swiftly back from the dream world. Sasuke was screaming, from upstairs. She bolted, throwing the covers off of her as she ran, nearly tripping as she reached the stairs, but she kept going until she came to his door, and she didn't knock, she just busted in. She searched the room with her eyes but she didn't see him. She could hear him, breathing heavily, gasping almost. She ran in the room and found him on th other side of his bed. He was shirtless and he was on his knees, one hand on the floor beneath him grasping the sheets that had fallen with him desperately and the other hand covered his face as he struggled with his breath. He didn't seem to notice she had entered and she dropped to her knees beside him placing a hand on his bare back and grabbing the hand on his face with her other.

"Sasuke-kun..." she breathed trying to get his attention. Trying to pull the hand from his face, to let him know she was there. She wanted to know if he was alright, she wanted to know what had happened. But she couldn't ask. She pulled harder at the hand, she tried to pull him to her, but suddenly his hand flung out and hit her, hard. She tasted blood in her mouth as his knuckles busted her lips against her teeth and she fell back on the cold floor. She twisted with his strike and so she landed nearly on her face. She paused for a moment, stunned, then wiped the blood away, there was lots of blood, but she couldn't feel the pain, he must of hit her hard. Him. She thought of him and bolted upright again to face him. She forgot herself again and wondered if he was okay. He was sitting now, staring wide eyed at her and she felt the blood still running down her face. He opened his mouth as if to say something but he just kept opening and closing it. He never spoke a word, just stumbled over his own breath.

"What happened Sasuke-kun?" she asked. His mind just spun. He had just backhanded her half way across the room. He hadn't meant to, he had only meant to knock her hand away. But his anger got the best of him. The nightmare melted away. He still felt the terror it had induced on him, but he no longer remembered the dream itself. Just blood and death like always. Memories of a battle they may never remember entirely and _Itachi_...

He felt bad, he hadn't meant to hit her. He had just wanted to be left alone... but she kept tugging at him. He reached towards her as if to apologize. He wanted to say the words but he couldn't. He wanted her to leave. Yet he didn't want to be alone. To his suprise instead of jerking back with fear she reached out to him to and grabbed his hand, lacing tiny figers through his. She didn't wait for an invitation, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Sasuke-kun what happened?" she gasped, almost as if she was afraid. He didn't want her pitty. He didn't want her to think of him as weak. He sat up a pulled away a bit but she wouldn't let go. "Don't..." he said, hoping she would understand. She backed off a bit.

"Sasuke-kun please, I know... I know that you don't want to be alone. So why do you always push me away. I offer you comfort and I ask for nothing in return. I don't expect you to love me. Just.. please..." she was begging. He hated it when she begged. He wanted to be left alone. To wallow in is lack of self worth alone. He knew that he was horrible and pathetic yet she put him on a pedastool. He didn't understand.

"Please _don't_..." he said. He felt vulnerable, like if she kept up her persistance he would give in. For every inch he had moved away she scooted two inches closer now. She just kept pulling at him. He wanted her to leave... he didn't want to be alone. He did _not_ want to be alone. He wanted to just cry but we all know he wouldn't do that.

"Just.. get back in bed.. and let me stay until you fall asleep.. And I'll know if your asleep, I'm a medic nin." she said, trying to sound more positive. He had just bashed her in the face! Why was she being so Goddamn optimistic? She puzzled him. Completely and totally. She was _feeding_ his selfishness. She was allowing him to _use_ her... But he didn't want to hurt her. But at the same time... she insisted. He nodded to her and crawled away from her and gathered the paritally bloody sheets. The blood! He turned back to her. "Your mouth.." he barely whispered reaching towards her face.

"It's fine she insisted. I'll clean it up in a minute." She smiled. Not the fake smile she showed the rest of the world. A real smile which looked completely goffy now with her blood stained teeth. She was happy. There was blood pouring down her face and it was because of him, but she knew... she _knew_ he hadn't done it on purpose, and that showing any concern for it all was as much of an apology as she needed.

She headed in to the bathroom to examine her self and she stared in the huge mirror thet hung over his sink. Appearently her nose was busted too. She looked around until she found a rag and then washed her face. It had stopped bleeding for the most part, but still there was more of a numb feeling than there was one of pain. She brushed a few strands of hair behind her ears and wiped her face again one more time for good measure then entered his bedroom again. He was sitting on his bed with his legs covered and his head resting on his knees... _'Damn he's hot..._' she thought smiling as she left the room. It had taken a good smack in the face, but he had agreed to let her help a little. Which was really all she asked anyways.

She headed down to the kitchen to find the fridge bare. Except for milk, eggs, and _bread_... Now why the hell was the bread in the fridge? She shook her head. She decided tomorrow if he was away as he said she'd go buy proper groceries. It was the least she could do for him letting her stay there. She pulled the milk out and sniffed at it just to make sure. It was fine. She searched for a glass until she finally found them. He had tons of silverwear and dishwear, but then again, a family used to live there. She poured two glasses of milk and headed back upstairs after putting the milk away, sighing again at the bread.

"Here.." she said handing him the milk. She crawled up on the bed and sat beside him. He didn't appreciate this she knew, but at that moment he would not complain.

"Your face?" he asked taking the milk. She guessed it was his way of saying, 'You alright?' She just smiled and told him it was fine. He took maybe one sip of his milk before he placed it on the nightstand to his side of the bed then layed down with his back to her.

"Don't stay up here too long, " he said, "it's cold." she nodded though he couldn't see her, "Just until you fall asleep," she lied. She didn't intend on going to bed. She put her milk down and scooted next to him and began to fiddle with his suprisingly not too soft hair. She always expected he'd have the softest hair in the world but instead it was kinda coarse.She loved it any way and she picking at the spikes and playing with his bangs wich were significantly more soft. He sighed a very aggravated sigh and let it happen. Who was he to complain? He just fucked her face up. Some how though, it must have brought him comfort, for he soon found a **un**nightmare haunted sleep.


	7. Chapter 7: The Joy of Dreams and Friends

Her breath was ragged in his ear and he purred as she writhed on top of him. She bit and nipped her way from his earlobe down to his collarbone, flicking out her tongue here and there to taste him. He twisted underneath her, pressed against her, so that she could feel him hard against her thigh. He snorted with frustration at their remaining clothing, which stuck to them uncomfortably because of the sweat and extreme heat. His room was usually like an icebox but at the moment it felt more like a furnace... and he liked it. His hands searched her body, pulling at her bra, wanting to be rid of it, scratching at her back and nearly drawing blood. He wanted her in the worst kind of way. She moaned in his ear, either from pain or pleasure, perhaps both, but it mattered not to him. Her arms clawed at his arms. He knew she wanted him too. The cherry blossom pink hair that fell over her closed eyes accented the flush of her face nicely. Her eyes were closed, but he couldn't take his off of her. He pulled her to him, down on top of him and pushed against her again. He bit down on her tender neck and she moaned his name. He liked the sound of it, the way the name _'Sasuke'_ sounded, rolling longingly off her tongue. His breath was just as ragged as hers now and he was tired of waiting. He sat up and pushed her forcefully onto the bed beneath him, mumbling something about how she _belonged_ to him. He forced his mouth on hers, grinding against her again, and she took it. Her moan came more like a scream this time and he feared if she got much more vocal she'd wake the _dobe_. But what did Naruto matter now?

He didn't look for the latch or try to undo it. He knew he couldn't by the way his hands shook. He instead just pulled it over her head. The white fabric was damn near see-through now any way because of the sweat that adorned their bodies. He kissed and bit her neck, sucking and licking, and made his way to her shoulder where he bit down hard and she gasped. He kissed the bruised shoulder and made his way down her collarbone with his kisses until finally he reached her bare breast. He bit harshly at the fatty skin above her nipple before running a tongue roughly over it and she damn near screamed. Oh how he loved the sound of her voice. She looked so helpless below him writhing, twisting, _grinding_... And the taste of her skin, wet with sweat and anticipation. He wasted no time kissing down her stomach, stopping here and there just to make her wait and biting and sucking along her hipbone. He grabbed the edge of each side of her panties and clawed them off of her as she kept twisting underneath him. He kissed longingly at her thigh, _dangerously_ close to a certain area. Oh he wanted her. And the breath that refused to come to her lungs told him she wanted him too. She sighed when he pulled away from her, though it was only long enough to tug his boxers off. Then he was on top of her again, breathing down her neck as he forced her legs apart, she squeaked his name in his ear, letting him know she couldn't wait anymore. He cupped one of her breast in his hand as he bit down on her neck again. He pushed himself against her again but did not enter her. She begged through gritted teeth, but it wasn't enough. Again he forced himself against her rather than inside of her. Her beg came almost as a cry this time and he decided it was time. He pushed her legs down, forcing them to part more and readied himself. Then there was aloud knocking at his front door... some one was calling him and the images in his mind went hazy.

It was then he realized he was dreaming as he sat bolt upright in his bed.

"What the hell...?" Sasuke said out loud glancing around his chilly room. He was drenched with sweat and the sheets clung to him. Sakura was huddled in a ball next to him not covered at all, but definitely completely clothed. He had been dreaming. About Sakura... and wait... what? Another loud knocking at the door made him shake the thoughts and images from his mind, he had no idea what had brought on such a horrible dream. He secretly cursed her for not going to bed as he asked and he threw the sheets over her as he headed downstairs.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked angrily, glaring at Naruto when he opened the door.

"It's Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, obviously out of breath, "her mom said she ran away when I went by there today! Ino told me that Sakura's dad died when we were off to get you so I was worried. And I can't find her anywhere and I thought maybe you had seen her..." the blue eyed boy finished in nearly all one breath.

"Hn, " said Sasuke scratching the back of his head and yawning seemingly without a care in the world. Naruto gaped at him. Did he not care?

"You're not worried at all?" He accused with wide eyes.

"No," he stated. He wasn't worried. She was there. He just wasn't sure he was ready to explain to Naruto why she was in _his_ bed.

"You bastard! How can you not be worried! Her father just died! And she's out there by herself!"

Sasuke cut him off, "Pipe down dobe... she's here."

"And! And! And!.. wait.. what? Here? What do you mean here?" he stuttered.

"I mean, she came by here last night and I told her she could stay until she had another place," he said reluctantly. He supposed her mom felt bad about throwing her out so she lied... bitch. He had never met Sakura's mother, and never really planned to, but he at least hoped Sakura could go home now. Wait... her dad died? Why hadn't she just said that? He hated the way she held so much back now. It wasn't like her at all, but then again, he had called her annoying when she used to wear her heart on her sleeve. He shut his brain up. He didn't make sense to himself when he thought to much.

"Well let me see her!" Naruto insisted.

"She's asleep..." he said as Naruto kept trying to peek around Sasuke, who was standing in his door way in boxers on an early December morning.

"Ne Sasuke-kun... who is here?" Sakura asked stringing her fingers through her hair as she came down the steps. _'Shit...'_

Naruto looked from Sakura to Sasuke, who could say nothing. Sasuke was worried at first that Naruto was going to ask why she had come form his bedroom or why she was in his cloths. But he should have known, Naruto was too dense to realize something like that as he ran to her throwing his arms around her. Sakura jumped, after all, she was barely even awake enough to know some one was there. Naruto stepped back to examine her for a moment. His face twisted. "Ne Sakura-chan, what happened to your face?" he examined her more closely, "Did some one... _hit_ you...?" he asked with a puzzled face. Sasuke tensed.

"Well uh..." Sakura covered her face with her hands, she had forgotten to take care of that... What was she to say, Naruto would surely know if she lied and yet, it would be difficult to explain exactly what had taken place.

"I.. uh.. well, he... he... he hit me," she blurted out with out meaning to. Naruto spun to look at Sasuke who was already facing him with a wide eyed expression.

"You did _WHAT?_" Naruto exclaimed grabbing Sasuke by the collar and bringing back a fist. Sakura immediately grabbed his arm, "No no no, Naruto! It's not like that. He didn't _mean_ to hit me," she explained as Sasuke ripped Naruto's arm from his t-shirt collar and pushed it away.

"Sure!" he yelled still staring Sasuke down, "that's what all girls say about their abusive boyfriends!" Sakura shook her head with a giggle as a look of slight disgust plastered itself on Sasuke's pale face, "Sasuke-kun and I aren't like that Naruto, you should know, and it's the truth. I wouldn't lie to you, not even for Sasuke-kun" she replied.

"How'd he _accidentally_ hit you then?" the blond questioned never tearing his eyes from Sasuke's gaze.

"He was just trying to hit my hand away."

"He must have hit pretty hard to leave marks like that."

"I just haven't healed it yet..." she said fidgeting with her toes and staring at them, "my mind was else where..."

"Do you really distrust me that much?" Sasuke asked, knowing _both_ of them had _every_ reason too.

"No. I trust you. But I don't trust your anger and she's bruised and has been bleeding. For her to have an injury like this is serious" Naruto said confident in her healing ability, still assuming this was the after effect.

"I told you Naruto, this is before I've had the chance to mess with it, after I get done it will probably all be gone," she said trying to get her point across, "besides, he was half asleep when it happened."

"You promise?"

"Do you really think I'd hurt her like that on purpose?" Sasuke asked again, measuring the levels of trust his team mates had in him.

"No..." Naruto said relaxing a bit.

"Anou... Sasuke-kun? Aren't you cold?" She asked, a smirk on her blood red face. He then realized he was in his boxers. He tried not to blush but to no avail. "You should go get dressed, I'll make something to eat." she said as Naruto made himself at home on the sofa. Why did Sasuke not like this situation? Naruto was getting cozy on _his_ sofa and Sakura was cooking breakfast. With what he didn't know, but she said she was going to. He didn't like this at all. This was the first time they had ever even been there and yet they acted like they lived there. He was too busy heading upstairs half naked to tell them to leave and anyways, she'd probably just go home with Naruto and for whatever reason Sasuke wasn't fond of that idea.

Yeah, he needed cloths. Sasuke took a brief shower and then put on the cloths he had worn the day before. His old Uchiha shirts with the high collars definitely wouldn't fit anymore. He sighed. He could smell eggs from down stairs and could hear Naruto and Sakura giggling. If the world ended they'd cry one day and laugh the other. They got over things so easy, and where as he refused to show it. He was bothered. He thought about and tried to remember the fight constantly and Kakashi. He lost his first sensei. They laughed and pretended not to care. He acted the same and pretended not to care. Didn't matter, they were all liars. He wanted to remember. Wanted to know why he was in Konoha and why he wasn't leaving. He didn't want to. He didn't know why. But he didn't want to. Orochimaru was dead for one, but besides that, he assumed he'd always be a missing nin yet Konoha took him back with little to no punishment. Except the anbu members that followed him just about everywhere and the fact that it would probably be a _year_ or so before he was trusted on a serious mission again. Which he would hate.

"Sasuke-kun! Breakfast is done!"

He sighed again... today promised to be a long day...

Later that night

Sasuke stepped up to the front door and got ready to open it when he heard a loud burp come from inside. Naruto was still there. _'Great,'_ he thought. He just really wanted to be left alone. He wanted to get used to living in Konoha again. If he had to stay there, couldn't things atleast be the way they used to? _'No,'_ he knew better. Things would never be like they used to. Kakashi was gone. He sighed sadly at the thought. He still wasn't even really sure why he felt like he had to stay. Then again he wasn't sure if he would be able to leave if he tried. He was more than likely being watched. Actually he knew he was. Maybe that could also be a reason why Naruto and Sakura stayed up his ass all the time. Maybe they figured they'd keep the past from repeating itself.

He opened the door just in time to catch Sakura standing in the kitchen door way and letting out a burp that put Naruto's to shame. Her face turned the color of his scarf. She was standing there with a spoon in her hand and an apron on. Her hair was tied up yet it fell in her face anyways. All the lights were on and Naruto was stretched across the sofa with a video game controller in his hand. He must have brought his system from his apartment. They yet again seemed to have made themselves at home in his house.

Sakura nearly dropped her spoon but Sasuke did little more than look at her funny. She blamed Naruto really. He had started the burping contest and messed up the living room she had already cleaned up after him once today. She had never expected Sasuke to be home so early yet there he was in the doorway, staring at her like she was an idiot with an arm full of bags. _'Just lovely...'_ she thought.

"Uhh, welcome home Sasuke-kun! Are you hungry?" she said pretending to be a perfect lady.

"Hn.." he mumbled something as he headed up stairs but she couldn't make out what it was. Oh how she hated that answer.

"I blame you!" she half yelled half whispered pointing her spoon at Naruto after she heard Sasuke's bedroom door shut.

"N-naniii?" the blond whined.

She just whirled around and headed back into the kitchen in response. Naruto pouted but continued his video game.

Sasuke pulled open a drawer and began to pack his new cloths away. He could smell the food from down stairs. There were never any _smells_ in his home, or voices to be heard from other rooms. There was never laughter or _burping contests_. He bit back a touch of jealousy that nagged at him. What did he care how close they were? He paused then looked around to his bedroom door. It was closed and he could still hear them yelling and laughing from down stairs. He turned and sat with his back to his dresser and concentrated for a second, then burped. He smirked to him self. Yeah, he could take them.

Sakura peered into the living room, "Was that you?" she asked looking at Naruto.

"Was what me?" he asked confused.

"Nothing.. it must have been just me." she looked to the stairs a touch puzzled then brushed it off to continue her cooking.


	8. Chapter 8: Confessions

He controlled himself this time. The usual nightmares tore through his mind. Three weeks. Three weeks and still upon waking not _one_ memory could he find. He didn't yell this time. He didn't want to draw her to his bedroom. He didn't want the dobe up there either.

He was thirsty and longed to shake the fearful feeling he had so he crawled out of bed, tugged on a t-shirt and went down stairs. Naruto and Sakura were sprawled across his sofa. She looked very uncomfortable with Naruto's foot in her face. Then it hit him. They had been there for three weeks. He hadn't noticed. He was always gone most of the day for whatever reason. And they had never left. Ino had brought a lot of Sakura's things to her over the past weeks, but Sakura never left, and neither did Naruto. Sasuke sighed as he peered down at them, they were laying at opposite ends of the tiny sofa and drool pooled from Naruto's snoring, gaping mouth as Sakura struggled in her sleep with his foot. He smiled slightly with annoyed amusement. Or at least that was his excuse for the pathetic smile that curled across his features that was more like a smirk than anything.

He continued on into the kitchen and grabbed a quick glass of water. There were dishes in his sink, open bags of chips on his counter, empty ramen containers in his trashcan. His house was lived in. He tried to convince himself he disliked this idea. But they were still there. He tried to tell himself he didn't want them there, but he didn't make them leave. They left him alone when he wanted it or he'd sit quietly in the living room and observe them when he felt the need to be around people.

He could hear Sakura cry sometimes at night, about her dad, which she still didn't know he knew about and about Kakashi or sometimes nightmares. He'd always stand up to go down there. But Naruto was always there first. He told himself he didn't care. He had always been so sure that he'd rather be strong and alone than weak and have friends but he wasn't so sure that was the case anymore. He tried so hard to believe it was, but he felt things in his heart against his head's will. He was, as usual, a mess of emotion he swore he didn't have and confusion. He forced his thoughts aside. He hated himself when he thought.

When he came back into the living room Sakura was still squirming uncomfortably under Naruto's foot. Sasuke stepped up to her quietly and lifted the blonde's foot, pulling her out from under him. He picked her up carefully and headed back up to his bedroom.

"Sasuke-kun..?"

He didn't reply.

"Is it safe to eat the ice cream now?"

He looked down at her in confusion... she was asleep. He wanted to smile but he had long since forgotten how to truly smile.

He laid her down in his bed and covered her noticing her pajamas. Normal pale pink nightgown, much to thin for winter. Upon smoothing the fabric, however, he noticing black writing contrasted against pale colored panties. 'I love Sasuke!' it said. He shook his head.

He had every intention of going down stairs and sleeping in the chair until she grabbed his hand as he turned.

"Don't go.." she said pitifully in her half sleep, "it's cold."

He didn't know what to say. He couldn't pull his hand away from her and then he remembered why he left. They, _she_ made him weak, made him feel emotions he could otherwise keep in check and he mentally spat at himself. He didn't like feeling like he could so easily be defeated by a simple touch. He didn't need this.

"You'll warm up," he said starting to move away. She clung tighter and gave his hand a slight tug.

"Please..." she begged, "just until I fall asleep."

He sighed reluctantly and sat beside the bed pulling himself from her grip. He leaned his head on the bed, kicking himself over and over in his mind.

She smiled sleepily to herself and rejoiced in her mind as he propped his sleepy head against the bed. She dug her fingers in. Playing with his hair could have very well become her favorite pass time if he'd allow it but he rarely did, only when no one else was around and he was half asleep, and Naruto was almost ALWAYS there when he wasn't with the two Hyuuga cousins. Sasuke sighed in annoyance at her, "Don't," he said. She whined.

"You'll never go to sleep if you keep doing that and I'm not gonna sit up here forever, I'm tired," he said with that blank voice of his. The one she loved so much. The one he _always_ used.  
She complied and pulled her hand away. He was laying his head against the bed in just a way that he couldn't see and she took advantage of it. She took the time to stare at him. Sure about all she could see was the top of his head but in her mind she could see his pretty face, his obsidian black eyes. His perfect lips. Everything. Everything about him was just beautiful to her. Starting with his skin and working down to his heart, the heart he hid so well in it's castle of ice. She loved him. She supposed she always would. She knew he may never love her back but she felt that if she could just get him to recognize how deeply she really felt for him and just know he's not alone than she would be perfectly happy. He was so beautifully broken and she couldn't get over it. The harder she tried to fix him the more worthless she felt. The closest she thought he'd ever come to really caring for her was pity. I mean sure he cared about her, he'd protect her any day but it seems that most of the things he did for her lately were out of pity. Which she hated. The last person she wanted pity from was him...

She heard him let out another sigh.

"You can go..."

"It's fine, just go to sleep," he replied.

"I don't want your pity..."

"And I don't want yours."

"Just go back to bed please Sasuke-kun."

"Just go back to sleep."

"Sasuke..." she said trying to sound annoyed. He hated it when she dropped the -kun but he didn't know why.

"Look, you asked me stay for a reason, I don't care what it is, you don't have to tell me, just go to sleep and I'll stay until then okay?"

She didn't reply. Was he mad at her?

"Or would you rather me go wake _him_ up to come cuddle you to sleep?" he finished.

Yes, he was getting angry, but she didn't know what to do about it.

"Sasuke-kun, I just... I don't want you to be here just because you feel sorry for me, you act annoyed just by sitting in the same room with me, that's why I told you that you can go back to bed," she whispered hoping she could calm him.

"I don't feel sorry for you," he said with another annoyed sigh.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because you asked me to be." He still sounded angry.

"You don't have to."

"I know I don't. Could you please just shut up and go to sleep?"

"I'm sorry.." she said. She never meant to argue; she was just a curious creature. He really had no reason to stay up there if it wasn't out of pity. So why?

Ten minutes passed, she wasn't tired anymore and she wasn't even sure she would go back to sleep.

"Can I touch your hair?" she asked hoping to sound playful.

"Will you go to sleep?"

She smiled wildly and said, "Maybe..."

He heaved a heavy sigh, "Fine."

She made a conscious effort not to squeal as she dug her fingers in to his hair enjoying the feel of being close to him, of being allowed to touch him.

_'At this rate I'll be asleep before her...'_ he thought annoyed with not only himself, but her and the situation in general. He couldn't lie. He liked it. It calmed him and brought him some sort of peace. He hated it... well hated the way he liked it anyways. He didn't want to like it. But... but... he couldn't fight the sleep coming over him... here she was wide awake and he was allowing her to put him to sleep. It made him feel like some sort of pathetic and lazy cat. But he never had nightmares when she put him to sleep like this. He sat up in an attempt to fight the impending sleep that threatened him but he only faced the bed this time and laid his head on his arms in front of her. He just gave up and closed his eyes.

He had seen her, just before he laid down, smiling like that, like she was dreaming but she looked like she was going to cry. Not in a bad way, but her smile just seemed half broken, like there wasn't a reason for her to be that happy but she was any ways. She always looked as though she should be sad but she was smiling so happily and her eyes just watered and her face reddened with the battle of her control versus her tears. The expression puzzled him. He didn't understand. She seemed so perfectly happy, but for no reason. Sometimes she did cry, but he never commented because she never knew he was watching her. He, at times, seemed to forget his coldness when he watched her, curious little creature that she was. She always made him think and wonder, only not bad things like he usually did. He just thought and wondered about that face. That strange expression.

It made him feel... good. She only made that face for him. It made him feel as though she was happy because he simply existed. She shouldn't be, he wasn't hers, but she was just so happy anyways. He told himself of course that he was wrong. There was no such thing as love that deep. Feelings of love and trust were just illusions, he had seen as much proven. Yet what had he proven to her? He had left her standing there. He had ripped her heart away and crushed it, on purpose. But she still smiled when he glanced at her, she still positively glowed when he entered a room, she brightened with delight when he spoke to her. Most of all though, she still trusted him.

Sometimes he would lie to her on purpose, just to test her, tell her something that couldn't possibly be true. And she nodded and smiled foolishly believing him. Why did people have such stupid emotions, why did they let themselves become fools like that? He'd never let himself get that close to anyone again. It was stupid. But when she looked at him like that, with that smile, with those _eyes_.. he wanted trust her the way she did him. Then he'd get angry with himself and he'd say cruel things or simply ignore her, which she hated even more. He always felt bad but he convinced himself that he felt no such thing. Then he'd train or nap because if he didn't then he'd think which _always_ led to bad things.

"Sasuke..." she said. It came almost as a breath rather than a word and it played with his ears and he wondered if she had even really said it. He was half asleep though, his breathing had slowed just a few more seconds and he'd be lost to dreams.

She shifted slightly, moving closer but he barely noticed as sleep began to swallow him.

"I love you so much.." she breathed in the same way, like he _was_ her very breath and she could speak only for him, yet the words were almost unclear. By this point though, he believed himself to be dreaming as she planted a kiss on the top of his head. He hated these dreams. She whispered to him, "I wish..." with tears running down in his ears, "I wish I could show you… how beautiful you are..." And at this point he knows he's dreaming. He knows he's dreaming.

But he's not. He thinks it, wants to believe it. But he's not.

And she kissed his ear where the hot tears did flow and whispers more and the whispers he believes to be dreams turn into actual dreams. Sweet dreams he never remembers.


	9. Chapter 9: Hell Hath No Fury

He awoke in a puddle of drool and he cursed himself for not being perfect. He stretched his arms upward and pain shot through his neck. _'Damn her,' _he thought to himself. His body was aching from sleeping the way he did and he looked to her. She was sprawled across his bed, covers tangled around her limbs and she snored, not really loudly, but rather quietly. He kind of wanted to strangle her.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

The wailing came from down stairs. Sasuke got up quickly and pulled on a shirt, this looked bad enough without Naruto coming up there finding him half dressed. Just as he pulled the shirt over his head the pounding at his door began.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked angrily sliding the door half way open.

"Is she with you?" the blond nearly yelled.

"Yeah, she's right here," Sasuke replied sliding his bedroom door open all the way, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice.

Naruto looked oddly disturbed to Sasuke, "N-nande…?"

"Well she didn't kook very comfortable crushed under your foot."

"Oh, so you just slept with her?" Naruto sounded jealously sarcastic.

"I slept in the floor dobe, chill out."

"Chill out? Odd hearing that from you!"

"Ohayo Naruto!" Sakura squealed from the bed in a voice that was happier than it should have been and both boys turned their attention to her, forgetting their quarrel. Her plan worked perfectly.

"Ohayo!" Naruto called back bounding in the room and pushing past Sasuke in a leaping motion towards the bed. Sasuke observed them for a moment as he asked how she slept and they just chattered away, after a moment Sasuke could no longer understand what they were saying and they just blended in with the birds. He decided he'd cook this morning.

Sakura dashed out the door with a burned piece of toast in her mouth, Naruto hot on her trail. She was half pulling on her cloths as she got passed the gate and called back to a slightly confused Sasuke, "Thanks for breakfast Sasuke-kun! I'll get dinner tonight!"

Sasuke stood at the front door scratching his head in confusement. They hadn't even said where they were going, not that he cared… He promptly headed inside deciding it was a nicely cold day for training.

_'Hinata-chan is going to kill me…'_ Sakura thought to herself. Then immediately shook that thought from her head, Hinata was physically capable of killing, but her heart was much to big for that, Naruto would have to be murdered before that Hyuuga girl would ever have blood on her hands.

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata noticed her as soon she rounded the corner and Sakura stopped on a dime and Naruto came crashing into her. She smiled like an idiot as she stood and brushed herself off, making sure to push Naruto back over as he stood.

Hinata watched with a slight giggle as her friends showed up, fashionably late as always. Her heart still skipped when she saw him, every time, without fail. She was still shy at the sight of him, she still blushed furiously and became a complete mess every time they hung out. At least now when they were around each other she didn't COMPLETELY freak out or pass out. No, that would make things dramatically worse. She waved at him as the usual flush painted it's self across her face.

"Hey Hinata!" he grinned finally regaining his feet, "it's your fault." he grumbled to Sakura and she promptly popped him on the back of the head and grumbled something back about how it was his fault. Hinata giggled again. She knew Naruto still cared for Sakura in more than a platonic way but you would think them to be siblings the way they acted.

He watched the group carefully almost as if from the shadows though they knew he was there. Mostly though, he watched her. She had yet to notice or catch on she was to busy pining over another boy. But at some point, some how, he had come to want her as his own. She'd probably never know. Maybe it was better that way. Who knew? But they boy she wanted was completely oblivious. He couldn't see the beauty that was right under his nose. Maybe he knew it was there, but the diamond still looked like coal to him. Neji walked up to join the crowd and was greeted warmly by his friends, and her.

The day had been long, not that she minded hanging out with the Hyuugas she just grew tired of smiling all day like that. She didn't want them to see the things that plagued her mind. Kakashi's kind face flashed through her mind and she nearly winced.

She had handed the groceries to Naruto who headed in through the front door as she went around back to the little trail in the woods maybe she would train, or just sit there. Anything was better than this. She wanted to heal.

As she neared the small clearing at the end of the trail she noticed some one had beaten her there. Sasuke didn't seem to notice her at all and she took on a sly grin and leapt silently into a tree drawing a few shuriken. He was just getting ready to rest, perfect. He was tired and off guard. And she struck, throwing three shuriken. The first hit the tree just behind his head the second he caught and used to throw off the third.

"Nice…" he said all but sarcastically, looking directly at her despite the distance.

"Damn…." She cursed, barely dodging the one shuriken he had caught and thrown back at her.

"I didn't know you cursed Sakura," he said standing with a smirk.

She bit her bottom lip with a mimicking smirk and dashed off.

Then it was on. She'd throw hit after hit but he blocked them all with a smirk on his face. _'Damn him,'_ she thought, _'why does he have to be so distracting…?' _It was that face… she didn't want to hit it. He was so perfectly put together. She'd swear he'd have to be an angel, but he was so sexy it was almost sinful, the she remembered, the devil was an angel too…

But you see he made a tiny mistake. He actually began to chuckle at her, like mock her. She wasn't the wimpy little girl she used to be. She wanted to prove it. She would.

He was playing at first but now it was starting to almost take his concentration to fight her. Her strength was increasing and at this point she was already stronger than most boys he had fought and with each attack thrown she was only getting stronger. He almost had to dodge most of the attacks rather than block, which in a real fight he would do anyways, after all, he was fast as hell. Yeah, she may be strong but he figured he'd just blow her away with speed.

She threw a high kick, no longer worried about that pretty face of his, but about the time it should have made contact with his face he was gone and before she even had the chance to get her foot on solid ground and regain her balance he had grabbed one of her wrists. In the next instance her whole body made a series of sickening cracks as she flew into a nearby tree and slumped to the ground.

He cocked an eyebrow and shifted his wait to one foot peering over at her, 'Maybe I over did it?' he questioned himself. He took a step forward, "Sakura?" he asked.

She stood slowly and steadied herself then took her usual fighting stance. The insecure look in her eyes was gone and well replaced by a fire and determination. He lifted his eyebrows in fascination. He decided that was a good look on her, but he wouldn't admit that out loud. She looked almost angry, he wondered what she'd look like if she were truly angry, 'hot,' he answered himself and then immediately felt like slapping himself. He could hardly picture her as 'hot.'EVER...

"I guess you're not done playing yet are you?" he asked taking a defensive stance with one of the sharpest smirks he'd ever worn.

So beautifully deadly was that face. But the more he taunted her and the sexier he looked the more she wanted to dislocate his jaw, so she charged.

The first few blows he dodged like they were nothing but then he became aware that they were only a setup. The next blow he had to block, it was a tightly clenched fist heading at him straight on. The second he grabbed her wrist he noticed the second fistwas well on it's way towards his jaw. He went to block but his attention was diverted by the fire growing in her bright green eyes. She looked so fierce and hepaused, only for a second but long enough and a crack echoed in his head and his ears rung and next thing he knew he was sitting up off the ground hand over a swollen jaw. He kinda wanted to yell but the thought alone of moving that mouth was enough to make pain course through his body.

"Oh my god! Sasuke-kun are you okay?" she nearly screamed and dropped down beside him.

He just bit is bottom lip and looked at her and she kinda grimaced.

"Lemme see…" she said leaning towards him.

He turned away sharply.

"Sasuke-kun don't be a baby! I need to see if it's broken or anything…"

He just shook his head slowly.

She slapped his hand away in response and placed her hand gently on the offended jaw. She concentrated for a moment and felt around carefully a bit. It didn't feel broken but maybe dislocated. She giggled a bit at her earlier thoughts. She had been so sure he would dodge that, she was going to follow it up with swift knee to the gut, hell hitting him at all would have made her happy. Something must have distracted him. Either way, she needed to get ice on it to help the swelling go down some so she could better treat it. She was pretty positive she could do this herself, she didn't think he'd need to go to the hospital.

His head was still spinning and she was telling him to get up? He didn't get her_. 'She better be glad she's a fuckin' girl,'_ he thought. He wasn't really so much mad as he was confused; he wasn't sure how to feel. She just decked him in the jaw! But he couldn't really be mad, it wasn't an actual 'fight' but it was fair. He shouldn't have got caught of guard. Then he reversed his misplaced anger on himself. What a fool.

Both paused when they heard insane giggling from the trail near the house.

"You got knocked the fuck out!" the blond boy was already on his knees kneeling over with laughter pointing towards the pair. Sasuke's blood boiled as he found a new target for his unrelenting anger. Then he was on his feet...


End file.
